Stock consistency blending apparatus



July 20, 1965 J. N. coATs STOCK CONSISTENCY BLENDING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 22, 1962 FIG.2.

INVHV TOR. JOHN N. COATS BUCKHORN, CHEATHAM 8 BLORE rromvgys United States Patent 3,195,866 STOQK CGNSHSTENCY BLENDING APPARATU John N. floats, 2010 SW. Wemhly Park Drive, Lake Oswego, Greg. Filed Jan. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 167,597 5 Claims. (Cl. 259-7) This invention relates to stock consistency blending apparatus.

Prior to my present invention, there has existed a stock consistency regulating apparatus for adding water to stock to obtain a desired consistency thereof. However, this apparatus was capable of handling only one stock line and could not blend stock of different consistencies from various lines.

It is amain object of the present invention to provide a stock consistency blending apparatus capable of ac cepting stock of different consistencies from two or more lines, wherein there are means for mixing stock, measuring the consistency of the stock in adding water to the stock to insure the desired uniform consistency.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of accomplishing the above result.

' Various other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken along line 33 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus includes a closed blending tank 11 of generally cylindrical configuration with its axis vertical. The tank has a flattened portion 13 about which more will be presently said. There is a tubular inlet manifold 15 seciued inupright fashion to the top of the tank in offset relation'to the axis of the tank. Connected to the manifold are three inlet stock lines 17, 19 and 21 conducting stock of different consistencies to the tank. By way of illustration, line 17 couldbe conducting stock of a consistency of approximately 3 /2 percent, whereas line 19 could be conducting stock of approximately 4 percent consistency, whereas line 21 could be conducting stock of approximately 3 percent consistency. The desired uniform consistency at the output of the apparatus could be, by way of example, 3 /3 percent.

Connected to the closed top of the manifold 15 is a white water dilution line or pipe 23 having a solenoidoperated'diaphragm control valve 25, about which more will be presently said.

The manifold 15 insures good mixing of the incoming stock, and particularly good mixing of the incoming stock with the dilution water. This occurs even prior to these fluids entering the tank 11..

Located counterclockwise of the manifold 15, as the parts are shown in FIG. 1, and located in offset fashion from the axis of the tank is a mixer comprising an electric motor 31 mounted on the tank having a depending shaft 33 equipped with a suitable blade 35 for causing circulation of incoming fluid around the tank in a counterclockwise direction as the parts are shown in FIG. 1.

This mixer insures good mixing of the fluids and insures a uniform consistency of the fluids leaving the tank. The

3,l%,8.% Patented July 20, 1965 lower end of the blade 35 may be journaled in the floor 37 of the tank 11 if desired. The floor 37 slopes downwardly, as shown, toward the right as the parts are shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 2, the mixed stock leaves the tank 11 through an opening 41 preferably of circular form and sized for a desired foot per second flow in relation to a predetermined head and outlet system. The outlet 41 is located in the left-hand flattened portion 13 of the tank, and attached to this flattened portion is a regulator housing 43' providing a regulator chamber. The regulator housing 43 is of generally rectangular cross section. However, corner pieces are provided in the housing to make the cross section more nearly circular. This is best understood by comparison of FIGS. 2 and 3. These pieces are numbered 45.

Within the regulator housing is a consistency regulator including a paddle wheel 47 which has a shaft 48 connected to a motor 49 mounted on the upper surface of the regulator housing 43. The consistency regulator is not per se my invention.

A control circuit (not shown) of standard construction is associated with the motor 49 and is operable when the resistance to paddle wheel movement exceeds a predeterined value (increasing resistance to paddle wheel rotation causes the motor to draw more current) to energize a solenoid-operated diaphragm valve 25 to open the valve to supply water to the manifold 15. Thus, the consistency of the stock in the tank is decreased so that when this stock reaches the paddle Wheel, the paddle wheel will meet less resistance and the control circuit will deenergize the valve allowing it to close. Thus, the consistency regulator and its control circuit function in connection with the valve to meter dilution Water to the tank 11. In operation, the solenoid-operated valve is turned off and on as the consistency of the stock varies slightly.

The regulator housing is connected to an outlet housing 51 of rectangular cross section. The right-hand wall of the regulator housing and the lower wall of the outlet housing provide a weir 53 over which the stock flows. The level of the stock in the tank is shown at 55, and the level in the regulator housing is shown at 57.

These levels remain substantially constant because the amount of dilution water added to the tank in relation to the amount of stock flow is very small. The flow of fluid through the apparatus should be relatively constant because the consistency regulator 47, 49 is designed or adjusted for a certain rate of flow of fluid. It is here pointed out that the volume of stock supplied to the tank is also regulated by valves not shown to maintain the level 55 at approximately that shown in FIG. 2.

The outlet housing 51 conducts the stock to a paper stock tank of a paper machine or to other desired place.

A drain valve 61 is provided between the regulator housing 43 and the outlet housing 51 to permit periodic cleaning of the blending tank and the regulator housing.

Having described the invention in what is considered to be the preferred embodiment thereof, it is desired that it be understood that the invention is not to be limited other than by the provisions of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A consistency blending apparatus comprising,

mixing tank means including a main tank portion having an upper end and a lower end,

said upper end having an inlet therein,

sistencies simultaneously into said inlet to effect premixing thereof prior to their entry into the main tank 7 portion,

said directing means including supply means fora diluting liquid,

said main tank portionhaving an outlet formed in the lower portion, thereof,

a discharge passagewayleading from said outlet upwardly and then back downwardly,

said discharge passageway providing ,a weir between mixing means in said main tank portion for agitating and mixing the liquid therein, 7

consistency regulator means having consistency sens-' ing means disposed in said upwardly extending portion of said passageway'to sense the consistency of the mixed liquid, I

maintain the consistency of the mixed liquid substan-.

meansfor supplying liquids of different consistencies 35 means for supplying a diluting liquid to the upper end Y to the upper end of said tank, I

of said tank, t V said main tank portion having an outlet formed in the lower portion thereof, r

a discharmge passageway leading from said outlet upwardly and then back downwardly, said discharge passageway providing a weir between the upward and downwardly extending portions therea said weir being located at a level below that ofvthe upper end of said main tank portion so that the level of liquid in said main tank'portion may be main- '25 v g V v, o 4. A consistency, blending apparatus comprising,

and means whereby said consistency regulator means 7 tained at a level above that of said weir to providefor gravity feed of liquid from said main tank portion, through said outlet and then up and over said weir,

mixing means in said main tank portion for agitating l and mixing the liquid therein, V V consistency regulator means having consistency sensing means disposed in said upwardly extending portion of said passageway to sense the consistency of the mixed liquid,

and means wherebysaid consistency regulatorimeans,

varies the supply of said diluting liquid so as to maintain the consistency of the mixed liquid substantially constant. a t 3. A consistency blending apparatus comprising,

mixing tank means including a main tank portion having an upper end and a' lower end, I said upper end having an inlet therein,

directing means-for directing liquids of differentcomy sistencies simultaneously intosaid inlet to eflfect premixing thereof prior to their entry into the main tank said outlet being dimensioned to provide, a metering a discharge passageway leading from said said discharge passageway providing .a Weir between ,the upward and downwardly extending portions thereof, I

said weir being located at a level below that of the upper end of said main tankiportion so that the level of liquid in said main tank portion may be maintained at a level above that of said weir to provide for gravity feed of liquid from said main tank port-t tion through sai'd'outlet and then up and 'oversaid weir,

mixing means in said main tank portion for agitating and mixing the liquid therein, t

consistency regulator means having consistency sensing means disposed in said upwardly extending portion of said passageway to sense the consistency of the mixed liquid, V p p and means whereby said consistency regulator means varies the supply of said diluting liquid ;so as to maintain the consistency of the mixed liquid substantially constant,

opening of predetermined sizerelative to thehead of liquid in the mixing tankportion and the level of said weir to attain a predetermined foot-per-second flow;

mixing tank means including a main tank portion having an upper end and a lower end,

said upper end having'an inlet therein,

said main tank portion having an outlet formed in the lower portion thereof,

a discharge passageway leading from said outlet upwardly and then back downwardly, said discharge passageway providingaweir between the I upward and downwardly extending portions thereof, said .weir being located at a level below that of the uppertend of said main tank portion so that the level 70f liquidtin said main tank portion may "be maintained at a level above that of said weir to provide for gravity feed of liquid from said main tank portion through said outlet and then up and over said weir,

' mixing means in said main tank portion for agitating and'rnixing the. liquid therein,

"consistency regulator means having consistency sensing I said sensing means being located below the level of the weir and including a rotary paddle wheel rotatable about a vertical axis, 5. A consistency blending apparatus comprising,

7 mixing tank meansincluding a main tank portion having an upper end and a lower end, an inlet conduit 'connected to the upper end of said main tank portion,

means for supplying a pluralityofliquids of different consistencies and also a diluting liquid to said inlet 7 conduit at a place spaced above the lower end of said conduit to elTect premixing thereof,

'saidmain tank portion having an outlet formed in the lower portion thereof, r a t t v outlet upwardly and then back downwardly,

V 7 said discharge passageway providing a :weir between the upwardly and downwardly extending portions thereof,

said weir being located at a level below that of the upper end of said main tank portion so that the level of liquid in said main tank portion may be maintained at a level above that of said weir to provide for gravity feed of liquid from said main tank portion through said outlet and then up and over said weir,

mixing means in said main tank portion for agitating and mixing the liquid therein,

consistency regulator means having consistency sensing means disposed in said upwardly extending portion of said passageway to sense the consistency of the mixed liquid,

varies the supply of said diluting liquid so as to maintain the consistency of the mixed liquid substantially constant.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Schur 13792 Cowles 137-92 X Hollenback 259-7 Krofta 13792 Been 137-92 X Hough et a1. 259-7 X and means whereby said consistency regulator means 15 WALTER SCHEEL, Primary Examiner- 

1. A CONSISTENCY BLENDING APPARATUS COMPRISING, MIXING TANK MEANS INCLUDING A MAIN TANK PORTION HAVING AN UPPER END AND A LOWER END, SAID UPPER END HAVING AN INLET THEREIN, DIRECTING MEANS FOR DIRECTING LIQUIDS OF DIFFERENT CONSISTENCIES SIMULTANEOUSLY INTO SAID INLET TO EFFECT PREMIXING THEREOF PRIOR TO THEIR ENTRY INTO THE MAIN TANK PORTION, SAID DIRECTING MEANS INCLUDING SUPPLY MEANS FOR A DILUTING LIQUID, SAID MAIN TANK PORTION HAVING AN OUTLET FORMED IN THE LOWER PORTION THEREOF, A DISCHARGE PASSAGEWAY LEADING FROM SAID OUTLET UPWARDLY AND THEN BACK DOWNWARDLY, SAID DISCHARGE PASSAGEWAY PROVIDING A WEIR BETWEEN THE UPWARD AND DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING PORTIONS THEREOF, SAID WEIR BEING LOCATED AT A LEVEL ELOW THAT OF THE UPPER END OF SAID MAIN TANK PORTION SO THAT THE LEVEL OF LIQUID IN SAID MAIN TANK PORTION MAY BE MAINTAINED AT A LEVEL ABOVE THAT OF SAID WEIR TO PROVIDE FOR GRAVITY FEED OF LIQUID FROM SAID MAIN TANK PORTION THROUGH SAID OUTLET AND THEN UP AND OVER SAID WEIR, MIXING MEANS IN SAID MAIN TANK PORTION FOR AGITATING AND MIXING THE LIQUID THEREIN, CONSISTENCY REGULATOR MEANS HAVING CONSISTENCY SENSING MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID UPWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION OF SAID PASSAGEWAY TO SENSE THE CONSISTENCY OF THE MIXED LIQUID, AND MEANS WHEREBY SAID CONSISTENCY REGULATOR MEANS VARIES THE SUPPLY OF SAID DILUTING LIQUID SO AS TO MAINTAIN THE CONSISTENCEY OF THE MIXED LIQUID SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT. 